


Zero Bullet Dilemma

by orphan_account



Series: Zero Bullet [A Refute in Dilemmas] [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Another Episode, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dangan Ronpa 2, Zero Escape (Video Games)
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:28:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22414723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Zero Bullet Dilemma is an interactive Fanfiction that crosses over between Danganronpa and Zero Time Dilemma. This is the decision game, however, fret not, all routes will be covered eventually.After waking up inside a mysterious facility, everyone seen is split up into three teams. K-Team, N-Team, and C-Team.K-Team, consisting of Makoto Naegi, Sayaka Maizono, and Komaru Naegi.N-Team, consisting of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, Peko Pekoyama, and 'N'.M-Team, consisting of Hajime Hinata, Mahiru Koizumi, and Chiaki Nanami.CURRENT FRAGMENT: Execution Vote : KNM
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Koizumi Mahiru, Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko/Pekoyama Peko, Maizono Sayaka/Naegi Makoto
Series: Zero Bullet [A Refute in Dilemmas] [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624381
Comments: 11
Kudos: 25





	1. Coincide - 1 (Decision)

**[ Coincide ]**

_Dcom (Dwelling for the Co-Habitation of Mars) Facility, 2028/12/30_

"Hey, uh, guys? I don't think we were locked in cells last time I checked..." Makoto said, examining the steel door that kept himself, along with Sayaka and Komaru in. "I also don't recall having these bracelets on..." Sayaka added on.

"Well, whatever is going on with you three, it's the same thing with us. Jeez, can't they just let us out now...?" Mahiru had said, also examining the door that kept herself, Chiaki, and Hajime in. "Doesn't seem like budging these fuckin' doors won't do us any good... Shut tight." Fuyuhiko had shouted, irritated. He had been referring to his group, which involved Peko and a strange kid.

"Oi, can any of you fuckers explain what this blue-haired kid is doing here with us?!" Fuyuhiko shouted, starting to sound angered. "Young master, please calm down." Peko had said, trying to calm Fuyuhiko down despite the situation at hand.

"Fighting won't do us any good, we need to see what the hell is going on," Hajime said, speaking in a rational tone of voice. "He's right, let's calm down and see what the last thing we remember was..." Komaru began saying before they were interrupted.

"Life is simply unfair..." A strange, modulated voice began speaking. As if it was through a gas mask. "Who's there...?" Chiaki had questioned, as a man in a plague doctor getup approached the three cells. "...Don't you think?" The man in the plague doctor getup had said.

"Oi... What the FUCK is going on?!" Fuyuhiko began cursing out once more before Peko had tried to shush him. "Could you please tell us what you mean by that? And what is going on?" Sayaka asked the strange man. "Once upon a futuristic time, at Hope's Peak Academy, a student was recruited into a special program. This would be known as the Izuru Kamukura project. However, even after turning this man into the ultimate lifeform... It had only served to cause a tragedy. Life was simply unfair."

All the high-schoolers (excluding the blue-haired kid, who was not a high-schooler) had only confused looks on their faces. "Could you please get to the point?" Mahiru had asked the person behind the plague doctor mask. "It's simple. I wish for you all to play a game. A game where you, me, and the human race hangs in the balance." The figure had spoken.

"A-A game where the human race is in the balance...?! How can that be possible?!" Makoto had said, in a very shocked tone. His expression accompanies said reaction. "Life can be quite unfair. All of our fates... Decided by the flip of a coin." The man had said, before flipping a coin. One side was red, and the other was blue. It flew up into the air, came back down, collided... Bounced... And then covered by the strange man's robes.

"If you cannot guess what side the coin is facing up on... You will play the game where until six of you die." The man had said. "S-Six of us will... Die?!" Komaru had said, in a shocked tone. "No, not just six of you. Six billion people will die, maybe more, by the end of the game." The strange man added on. "What the fuck is going on?!" Fuyuhiko had shouted. "Tch. And is there something we get if we win?" Hajime had asked. "Simple. Your freedom. If you guess correctly, you will be freed from this facility." The man had said.

\-----------------------------------------------------

The room had gone quiet, tensions began running high. "I think it's red..." Makoto said, making his guess. "Actually, I was thinking blue..." Mahiru said. "Bullshit! It's gotta be red!" Fuyuhiko shouted. "...I personally think it's blue." Chiaki had said. "I'm gonna go with my gut and say blue," Hajime said, throwing his own guess in. "Well... My intuition says it's red." Sayaka said, only serving to cause more discord in their opinion. "I will go with whatever young master says... Red," Peko said.

"Komaru Naegi... You are the leader of this group. Therefore, I will take your answer as everyone's final answer." The man who held their lives in his hand said. "M-Me...?" Komaru had said, suddenly becoming very frightened. "PICK RED!" Fuyuhiko had shouted, at the top of his lungs. "Calm down, if we pick blue we'll likely get out of this alive," Hajime said. "Sister... I'm trusting you." Makoto said, leaving his decision to Komaru.

\-----------------------------------------------------

The room had gone silent afterward, as Komaru thought about her decision. "Well, Komaru? You are the student that became Izuru Kamukura. Your decision will decide the fate of you, me, and the human race. Now, it's time to decide. What will it be? Red, or blue?" The man said, and Komaru could feel her heart beating at fifty miles per hour. But, regardless, her final decision was...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbkw7SmPkNk

[ WHAT SIDE DID THE COIN LAND ON? ]  
[ RED ] or [ BLUE ]


	2. Coincide - 2.1 (END: Payoff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Komaru Naegi chose red, and as a result, gave everyone freedom.
> 
> (NOTE: Since the decision was tied, Red was decided automatically.)

"It's red. I mean, I think it is..." Komaru said, uncertain with her final decision locked in. Mahiru looked a little disappointed, with Fuyuhiko being proud that Komaru had listened to his thought, or so he thought. Regardless, no matter what the other's thoughts were, the strange man had unveiled the coin to be on...

...The red side. Komaru had guessed right. "Looks like my luck did pay off," Makoto said. "Tch. Well, at least Komaru guessed right." Hajime said, ashamed that his guess was incorrect. "H-Hold on, guys! Sure, Komaru guessed right, but... What if she had guessed wrong?!" Mahiru shouted, pointing out another possibility. "Ms. Koizumi, please calm down. What matters is that Komaru guessed right. Now we need to see if our captor will make good on his deal." Peko said, calming down Mahiru and pointing out the situation at hand.

"You had guessed correctly. Henceforth, I shall make good on my promise and let you all out." The man had said. "That's it...? Six of us won't have to die..." Sayaka said as she was shivering at thought of six of them having to die. "Don't worry, Sayaka. As Peko said, what matters is we're alive." Makoto said, comforting Sayaka. "Ugh... I can't believe I guessed wrongly." Mahiru said to herself, a little disappointed. "Don't worry about it, Mahiru... We all guess wrongly on occasion. As two others had already said, what matters is we're alive." Chiaki said, going over to comfort Mahiru. "Yeah. I suppose we can't dwell on the past, and we can only look forward to the future..." Hajime said, but then looking down a bit as he said 'future'.

"You all seem to be joyous at the thought of being alive. However, as much as I regret to say, you all must fall asleep before you can be freed." The man said. "F-Fall asleep...? What the fuck do you mean?" Fuyuhiko said, irritated. "Furthermore, you will all lose your memories as for what happened here."

Everyone went silent, as their cheer was cut short. "So... We won't be able to remember scraping right past death, huh?" Hajime pointed out. "Doesn't seem like it... Still, maybe we survived because we had Makoto's lucky talent with us!" Sayaka said, causing a blush to appear on Makoto's cheeks. "Sweet dreams, everyone." The man had said, and then, everyone dropped down after feeling an injection...

\-----------------------------------------------------

**[ Payoff ]**

_Nevada Desert, 2029/01/01_

All nine people had ended up waking up on the hot, rocky ground that was part sand. In the middle of the desert, they all found themselves just outside of the Dcom facility...

"Hey, anyone care to explain what the fuck is going? Why are we outside?" Fuyuhiko asked, in his normal, cursing tone of voice. "I apologize, Young Master, but I am unsure myself..." Peko said, examining her surroundings. "...Coin?" Sayaka had muttered to herself. "Sayaka? Is everything alright?" Komaru had asked, walking over to the blue-haired girl. "N-Nothing... I just remembered seeing a coin." Sayaka finished her thought.

"Hey... Didn't we have something attached to our wrists?" Hajime asked. "Now that you mention it..." Mahiru said. "Six...?" Chiaki muttered. "Six what?" Hajime asked Chiaki, as she quietly responded. "Nothing... I just remember hearing something about six." Chiaki finished her thought.

"...Think we lost our memories about something?" A young voice said. Fuyuhiko was the first to notice. "Hey, who the hell are you-" Fuyuhiko had said, as he turned to face the child. "My name is..." The blue-haired kid began to say but went silent. 

"This is super confusing... What happened to us?" Makoto asked. "I'm... Not sure, but perhaps we should start walking." Sayaka said. "Yeah... Let's get moving." Hajime said as all nine of them began their march.

...

...

...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xh6jxhk8Xo

_Written by SatishoN_

_As a creator, I thank you all for taking the time to read up to this part of the story. However, this ending... It is one of many. This may just be the best ending our characters could get. And yet..._

_**Life is simply unfair, don't you think?** _

...

...

...

**[ PAYOFF - End ]**


	3. Coincide - 2.2 (Decision - Incorrect)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Komaru guesses the blue side of the coin, only to find out...

"It's blue. I mean, I think it is..." Komaru said, uncertain with her final decision locked in. Makoto didn't say much, but he believed in Komaru's decision. Even Mahiru, who said it was blue, still was nervous herself. "Oi, what the fuck, Komaru?! Didn't you listen!?" Fuyuhiko shouted, pissed off Komaru didn't pick red. "Young Master, it's a 50/50 chance. Even if she did pick red, it's still just as likely it's blue." Peko said, calming Fuyuhiko down once more.

Despite the bickering amongst everyone, the coin was revealed to be... Blue. "No...! Komaru, why...?" Sayaka had said, jumping back in shock. "God-fucking-dammit! Why didn't you pick red?!" Fuyuhiko shouted. Makoto said nothing, just quietly accepting their fate. "...Sorry, guys. Looks like I was wrong." Hajime said, putting his back to the wall and crossing his arms. "Ugh... Why...?" Mahiru said, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"It's OK, Mahiru... It was luck-based, anyways. I never was a fan of RNG, either. There's only one person to blame for this..." Chiaki said, patting Mahiru on the back... And looking at the man who put them in this situation.

"You have all guessed incorrectly. Life is simply unfair, don't you think?" The strange man said, maintaining his monotone voice. "Bastard...! Let us out of here!" Fuyuhiko shouted, shaking the bars to the cell. "Stop it, Fuyuhiko... We can only just accept our fate, and how it turned out this way." Makoto said, calmly. "As a result, you will all now play the game until at least six of you are dead." The man said. "At least...?" Komaru asked.

"Yes, it could be seven or eight, or even all of you can die." The strange person said. "Regardless, it is time for you all to fall asleep. When next you wake, the game will have begun, and you will not have any memory of what happened here..." The man had said, and instantly, everyone had dropped down on the ground... As Komaru stretched out once more for hope. But alas.

\-----------------------------------------------------

[Side: Komaru]

As I woke up, I spotted two others... Makoto and Sayaka from Dcom. "Makoto! Sayaka!" I called out. They seemed to be just waking up, as I was. "K-Komaru...? What's going on?" Makoto asked as he stood up. "I don't think Komaru knows... Look around us." Sayaka said. The three seemed to be in a strange area. "Where are we...?" Makoto asked. "No clue." I said, trying to understand the situation as is.

_"It was luck-based, anyways-"_

"Ah!" I yelped, startled from the sudden flashback. "Huh...?" I began to question myself, wondering where those words came from... "Komaru! Are you OK?!" Makoto yelled in a panic. "Y-Yeah, sorry, I just... Thought I heard something, is all. Haha..." I replied subtly. Luck based...? What could it mean? "I don't think it matters too much... This feels like a lounge though, at any rate." Sayaka said.

We were all silent, for a few moments, until... "Good evening." A strange, modulated voice said. We turned to one of the few TV's, and saw...

\-----------------------------------------------------

[Side: Blue-Haired Kid]

"Are you alright, child?" A strange, feminine voice called out to me. I did not know much of what happened... But I woke up, regardless. "Huh?" I asked the voice, not even knowing if it truly existed. Surprise, surprise, there she was with a bamboo sword on her back. "It seems you're awake, good. Now, as for Fuyuhiko..." The girl spoke, moving over to someone who looked like a man in a black suit...

"Could you care to explain what's going on...?" I asked, with uncertainty in my voice. "I'm afraid I know as much as you do... Assuming you aren't the one who kidnapped us." The girl said to me. "...Do I look like a kidnapper to you?" I replied with sarcasm in my voice. The girl seemed to ignore me, and attempted to wake up the man in the suit anyways. As I waited for them to finish up, I decided to dwell on my thoughts, trying to figure out what brought me here.

_"Time to decide, Komaru. Red... Or blue?"_

I had a glimpse of a memory, whatever it meant... Red or blue? And more importantly, who was 'Komaru'? I had no time to dwell on these thoughts as the girl and the sleeping man walked over to me. "So, let me get this straight... Us three woke up in this... Lounge-like place, presumably kidnapped?" The boy said. "Yes. I believe that is the case." The girl spoke. "Alright then... Then what the fuck is this kid doing here?! We don't even know him!" The boy shouted, agitated clearly. I could not speak, because...

As the boy prepared to go on with his anger, a static noise cut us for silence. "Good evening." A modulated voice spoke. Us three looked over to one of the TV's in this area, and saw...

\-----------------------------------------------------

[Side: Mahiru]

I was groggy as I woke up, my initial thoughts were on Dcom... But I somehow felt that wasn't the case. Regardless... I woke up, and found myself in a mysterious location. "Where... Am I?" I asked myself, looking around. That was when I noticed... Chiaki! Hajime! They're both on the floor... Was I the first one to fall asleep? Regardless, even if that man somehow couldn't wake up before me, there's still Chiaki... I quickly ran over to them to try and get them up.

"Ugh... Huh...?" Hajime groaned, getting up slowly. "Jeez, you call yourself a man and yet _I'm_ the first one to wake up out of us three." I said, with a hint of disappointment in my voice. "Jeez, well excuse me, princess! Don't you think we were drugged?!" Hajime shouted, with me taking _great_ offense to that. "What do you mean, 'drugged'?! Dcom staff weren't supposed to get us until tomorrow, noon!" I shouted, retaliating. "Then explain where we are!" Hajime spoke, and only then did I look around... Not recognizing any of my surroundings.

"Jeez... Could you two quiet down? You sound like an old couple bickering." Chiaki said, as she began to woke up. Looks like our shouting woke her up. "Chiaki, now is not the time for teasing. Can any of you remember anything?" Hajime asked. "No, not really... I'll try to think of something." I said, calming down. Hajime made a valid point, why are we here? I decided to take a moment to think.

_"Oi, can any of you fuckers explain what this blue-haired kid is doing with us?!"_

"Ah!" I yelped, the sudden gain of memories. Or was it just a flashback? Regardless, that voice... "Mahiru, are you OK?" Chiaki asked. "Y-Yeah... I just thought I heard Fuyuhiko's voice." I said, thinking about what I just heard... "What happened to us...?" Hajime said, settling in the mysterious uneasy feeling around us.

We were struggling to think about what was happening, until we heard static... "Good evening." The voice was modulated, but we turned to one of the TV's, and saw...

\-----------------------------------------------------

[Side: KNM (Third Person)]

"Good evening. I hope you've slept well. This is a recording, as such, I cannot answer your questions." The strange man said. "I have invited you all to play a game... So allow me to explain the rules." He continued. "Firstly, you may call me Zero... Or, by my more official name, Zero II (Zero the Second)." The man- Zero- said. "Firstly, please take a look at your left wrists. You will find a bracelet on it, it has two functions." Zero continued, as everyone looked at their left wrists... Finding an oddly-designed bracelet in pure black color. "Press both buttons on the side simultaneously, and the time will be displayed." As Zero said, everyone did so, and it displayed 12:05.

"The first function, as you've seen, is that it displays the time. The second feature is that at specific times, it will inject an anesthetic and memory erasing drugs. These are within 90 minute intervals, from the time you are awake to the time you sleep. In this case, you woke up at 12:00, and will fall asleep once more at 13:30." Zero explained, the unsettling situation finally dawning on them all.

"Now then, you might be wondering... Where am I? How do I leave? It is simple." Zero said. "Obtain six X-Passes, and open the X-Door." Zero explained. "Once the X-Door is opened, it will remain open for 30 seconds... Only to never open again, once that time is up." Some panic went about the three different trios... But everyone continued to listen.

"All of you are divided into three wards, labelled after their Team Names." Zero began to explain. "K-Team is lead by Komaru, with her allies being Makoto and Sayaka. N-Team is led by N, with his allies being Fuyuhiko and Peko. M-Team is lead by Mahiru, with her allies being Hajime and Chiaki. You are all divided into three wards- Ward-K for K-Team, Ward-N for N-Team, and Ward-M for M-Team." Zero fully explained.

"Now, you might be wondering... How do I obtain the six X-Passes? It is simple." Zero said, leaving suspense... "Six people must die." Zero said, dropping the bombshell of info. People had shocked looks on their faces, but Zero continued regardless. "In order to gain an X-Pass, someone must die. For every person that dies, one X-Pass will be revealed. Of course, the casualties won't be revealed right away..." Zero says.

"Now... How can I kill six people? Some of you may be wondering. I will give you a chance." Zero began, once more. "In your respective Ward's Lounges is a voting pad. You will have three choices, essentially. Two of those choices is voting for the other teams... And the third choice is abstaining, voting for yourself. Keep in mind, if you vote for yourself, that gives you two votes." Zero explained.

"The team with two votes or more will be executed, as a result, jump starting the other teams to having half of the required X-Passes needed. The deadline is 13:30, where you will be put to sleep... Time to decide." Zero said, before finally cutting the TV message.

**[ Coincide - END ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologies for the delay in the end of Coincide. Procrastination, as usual. I do hope I've been trying to capture the unsettling feel of Zero Time Dilemma so far.
> 
> You might be wondering why I decided to start with Zero Time Dilemma. I have several reasons.
> 
> 1\. Zero Time Dilemma is the perfect way to have ground work for 999 and VLR.  
> 2\. This gives the readers an uneasy feeling of past relations with everyone, as they do not know what happened with everyone before this.
> 
> And if it isn't obvious enough, let me summarize the characters (Please note there may be potential spoilers for ZTD)
> 
> K-Team / C-Team  
> Komaru / Carlos  
> Makoto / Junpei  
> Sayaka / Akane
> 
> N-Team / Q-Team  
> "N" / "Q" (Sean)  
> Fuyuhiko / Eric  
> Peko / Mira
> 
> M-Team / D-Team  
> Mahiru / Diana  
> Hajime / Sigma  
> Chiaki / Phi


	4. Execution Vote : K - 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> K-Team, Komaru, Makoto, and Sayaka sit down to discuss their situation. Afterwards, they discuss the team they'll vote for...

**[ Execution Vote : K ]**

[Side: Komaru]

We've investigated the entire K-Ward, and the results...

We found a prep room. There wasn't much in it except a vent and some lockers with suits in them. Connected to the Prep Room is the Decontamination room, which had shower heads connected to overhead pipes, and a door with a yellow button. We didn't investigate for too long before we headed back to the Lounge. "Nothing there..." I said, glancing over to Makoto hoping for an answer. "...Sorry, I don't have a miracle eye." Makoto said, in a slight sarcastic tone. "D-Don't give up hope yet... Maybe the decontamination door is locked tight, but it's possible we could find something to bust it open!" Sayaka said, trying to raise morale.

"Sorry, Sayaka. But if you remember from _last time_... Escape wasn't that easy. And it's not going to be." Makoto said, before moving on. "Wait- Last time...?" I asked, but the two just ignored me. Regardless, we kept moving about.

We went into the right-most hallway, according to the map, and found the Pantry and Recreational Room, or Rec Room for short. "You'd think Celeste would like this place..." Makoto said, looking around the Rec Room. "I mean, she _is_ a gambler after all. It's actually well designed, current circumstances aside." Sayaka said. "Can you guys explain to me what you're talking about...? Last time? Celeste? What is-" I tried to explain, but then Makoto spoke up. "We can talk after we've explored and ensure there isn't an escape. At the very least, with that pantry, we won't starve." Makoto said, so we kept moving.

"Komaru, Makoto's been through a lot... He's been a lot more distant than he normally was, and I feel that's partially my fault. I'll explain everything to you after we're done." Sayaka said, and I had no choice but to just follow what she said... Suspicions aside.

We then headed to the left most hallway, which branched into three areas- The Control Room, the Power Room, and then the Infirmary. "The infirmary... Hey, Makoto, can I scan you?" Sayaka said, glancing over to one of the scanning devices. "What- Now's not the time for joking!" Makoto said, with a tint of red on his cheeks. I ended up chuckling a little myself, seeing my brother so easily flustered. "Stop, it's really not that funny." Makoto said, before running out of the room and presumably back into the lounge. "Good to see he hasn't change in awkwardness, at least. Makoto..." Sayaka said, before walking after him.

"...Huh." I said, realizing that's all I could say about the situation. I decided to just let it be, and move out back to the lounge.

\-----------------------------------------------------

We were all sat down, and I decided to check the time on my bracelet. "...12:40." I said. Fifty minutes left. "What to do..." Makoto said, in a despairing tone. "Hmm..." Sayaka began to think, it seems. I had so many questions regarding what's going on... And what brother said about 'last time'.

I decided to ask about our situation. "Do you know who this 'Zero' is by chance?" I asked. "No... But I know this wasn't planned by Dcom, at any rate." Makoto claimed, which only led me to ask more questions. "How are you so certain?" I questioned, wondering why Makoto spoke like that. "I can answer for Makoto." Sayaka said. "Is this related to what you talked about before?" I asked. "Yes, and no. About a year ago, we were trapped inside a sinking ship... A replica of the Titanic." Sayaka explained, dwelling on memories from a year ago. "Yet, as it turns out, we were really trapped in the second building used ten years ago... Building Q." Makoto continued.

"So... You were trapped in a building that gave you the illusion of being in a sinking ship of a ship that sunk over a century ago?" I asked. "That about sums it up, yes. And... Zero was the one behind all of it." Makoto said, glancing over at Sayaka quickly... Before continuing to give his undivided attention to Komaru. "Yet, back then, it was a Nonary game... This time, it's a Decision Game." Sayaka pointed out. "So... It isn't the same Zero, is what you're trying to say?" Komaru said, trying to clear up the facts. Makoto glanced over at Sayaka again, and nodded.

I checked my bracelet. 12:45, half of our time has been used. I decided to question on their relationship. "So, Makoto, you didn't tell me you found yourself a girl..." I said, in a teasing tone. I wanted to see if I can fluster Makoto again. "No, it isn't like that. Sayaka... I only helped save her back a year ago." Makoto said, in a calm tone of voice. It was... Unnatural for him to be so calm and calculated. I decided to turn over to Sayaka. "We've met each other a few times before... What happened a year ago, in elementary. But we didn't really talk all that much." Sayaka explained.

"We met each other again in Hope's Peak, two months before the Nonary Game. We became friends since." Makoto explained, continuing the topic of their relationship. So, nothing juicy... Aw. "Well, at least I understand you two a little more now... That reminds me, you're the Ultimate Pop Sensation, right, Sayaka?" Komaru said, using the fully title of her talent. "Yeah, but it's really just something I like to do. Getting an ultimate title is a plus!" Sayaka explained herself, with a grin on her face. "And to think I met you again because I won a small lottery... Makoto said. "Was it fate that brought you two together?" I asked, and the two remained silent. That ends that conversation...

It seems I've exhausted my possible conversation options, so... "...12:50. Forty minutes left." I said, pointing out the watch. "So, what are we gonna do about the vote?" Makoto asked. "Without being able to anticipate the other teams votes... I'm not sure." Sayaka said. However, I then remembered... "Wait, didn't Zero said that the _team with two votes_ will get executed?" I asked, clarifying my memories. "Yes, I believe so." Makoto said, reaffirming my thoughts.

"I got it! We just need to spread out the votes! K-Team votes for M-Team, M-Team votes for N-Team, and N-Team votes for K-Team!" I said, explaining what our teams could do. It was perfect! The votes would be spread out, and no one would die. "That's possible... But how do we know the other teams will follow that line of logic?" Sayaka asked. I... Did not think that through. "R-Right... That's a problem." I asked, chuckling a little bit... Why am I chuckling? I don't know, maybe its because I've always jumped to conclusions on what we could do. "Still, Komaru's right. If that happens, then..."

It was a fleeting dream. Three teams, with two potential votes. If we assume their votes are a fifty-fifty chance... There's 2 outcomes that results in no team being executed, with three other outcomes that exist. That makes the chance of everyone voting the right way... 40%. "Fourty percent chance of the votes being spread..." I muttered. "Huh?" Makoto asked. "There are two outcomes where no team is executed. K-Team votes for M-Team, M-Team votes for N-Team, and N-Team votes for K-Team." I explained. "The other possibility is when K-Team votes for N-Team, N-Team votes for M-Team, and M-Team votes for K-Team." I wrapped up those two possibilities.

"And why is that only a 40%?" Sayaka asked. I felt she knew, but wanted me to go on. "The other three possibilities... K-Team and M-Team vote for N-Team, K-Team and N-Team vote for M-Team, and..." I explained, before being cut off. "N-Team and M-Team vote for K-Team." Makoto said, bluntly. "So... Essentially a 20% chance for our death." He continued. "This is our lives on the line! Why are you so calm?!" I shouted, what happened to Makoto? "I'm not calm, I'm scared! A friend once said... If I show weakness, I can be manipulated for it. I've learned." Makoto explained.

"Still... A 40% chance. That's 20% higher over any other possibility, but the fact remains there's a 60% chance at least one team will get executed. The odds aren't in our favor..." Sayaka said, continuing my brief explanation. "I wonder..." I said to myself.

\-----------------------------------------------------

\-----------------------------------------------------

"...13:20. There's no time." Makoto said, we just sat there for a while until the time to vote came. "Komaru, have you decided...?" Sayaka asked me. "I don't know! I don't want to kill Mahiru, Hajime, or Chiaki... They're good friends. And I certainly don't want to kill Peko and N. As for Fuyuhiko... He can be coarse-mouthed at times, but I could never kill someone...!" I said, grabbing my arm and beginning to fully realize the cruelty of the situation at hand.

"Komaru... Calm down, alright? We'll get through this together, sis..." Makoto said, coming over to me and giving me a hug. It's been a while since we've been like... Like family. "Yes. None of us are going to die... Let's place our faith in the others." Sayaka smiled, giving us hope. "O-Okay..." I said, and made my way over to the voting panel.

"I say we vote for N-Team, though." Makoto said- Wait, what? "Makoto, what are you-" Sayaka began to ask, before he continued. "M-Team will likely vote for N-Team as well. It'll give us a boost to our escape, logically." Makoto continued his explanation on the reason for his vote. "Wait! I thought- I thought we were all gonna get out of here together!" I shouted, before Makoto spoke. "I never said all of us were going to get out... I'm saying us three will get out." Makoto said. "Makoto, you-" Sayaka began to say, before we were interrupted.

_"Three minutes until the voting deadline." [Moral Dilemma, Annihilation 3rd Mix]_

"Make a decision, Komaru! Vote for N-Team!" Makoto shouted.

"If M-Team votes for N-Team, which is likely, then N-Team is equally likely to vote us! Vote M-Team!" Sayaka exclaimed, putting her own argument.

My thoughts were clouded. I could only panic internally. I could hear the intercom saying two minutes... I had to make a decision. A decision that could determine everyone's fates, as one. A fateful decision, a singular decision, a deadly decision. So, my decision was...

**[ TIME TO DECIDE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9 &v=pbkw7SmPkNk ] **

**[ VOTE N-TEAM ] / [ VOTE M-TEAM ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The deadline for voting has concluded.


	5. Execution Vote : K - 2.2 (Vote: N-Team) / Execution Vote: N - 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Komaru has made their vote, which was...

...N-Team, I forcefully tapped N-Team on the panel, finally relieving myself it was over. "Komaru... Why?" Sayaka asked, in a tone of sadness. "At the very least, there's a higher chance we'll make it out alive..." Makoto pointed out, quieting down. Just a few seconds, the two were yelling at me to make a decision... And now we're in a state of despair. I only picked N-Team because of what my brother said. But as I thought about the results, the TV turn to static and revealed the man in the plague doctor getup... Zero.

"You've made a wise decision. Good work." Zero said, as if he were taunting us in our fragile state. "Z-Zero..." Sayaka shivered. "Since you did exactly what I asked, the memory-erasing drug will not be injected into you. It would be... Problematic if you forgot you caused the deaths of others. Regardless, it is time for you to sleep." Zero had finished, and Makoto still had a straight face. "A-Ahh...!" I began to internally panic. But I had no time for that as my bracelet injected needles into my wrist... And then I slept. When next I wake, would I be dead? Or would I have caused someone's death?

\-----------------------------------------------------

**[ Execution Vote: N ]**

[Side: "N"]

Our little trio decided to investigate N-Ward, and our results...

We began by investigating the Prep Room, which was the connecting point between our lounge and the Decontamination Room. There wasn't much inside the Prep Room, save for a locker and the entrance and exit for the Decontamination Room. Inside the locker, just a suit. My guess it's used for bio hazardous areas, but... Well, inside the decontamination room was nothing. It was mostly an eerie green, with shower heads hanging above and a door with a yellow button next to it. There was nothing else there, save for that fact.

"Dammit...! How the hell are we gonna escape?!" 'Fuyuhiko' shouted. I only guessed their names by the announcement Zero gave us earlier. "Please, calm down, young master. We have not investigated the entire ward yet." Peko said, as if she was a relief toy for the guy that's got a really short temper. Just... Like... "R-Right... Sorry. We haven't investigated everywhere yet, so... Let's get a move on." 'Fuyuhiko' apologized, and moved out to the next room we're going to explore.

Referencing by the map, we moved through the lounge and to the Quantum Computer Dome (which we decided to call QCD for short), which was a large white room with what we can assume to be the 'Quantum Computer' in the center. "One wrong step, and you'll be falling for a little bit before you splat." I remarked at our height. Just where are we...? "You had to the point that out." Fuyuhiko said to himself. "'Fraid of heights?" I asked. "Not often, but this sick fucking joke of a game is already making me tense to hell and back." 'Fuyuhiko' said. "Fair enough." I stated.

"Apologies for interrupting your bickering, but it seems there isn't much to explore here. Shall we move out? We still have two other areas." 'Peko' said. I was about to interject, but I decided it'd be best to wait. "Yeah, let's keep moving. I know jack about how to work computers or whatever." 'Fuyuhiko' said. "Couldn't they use it, though?" 'Peko' asked. "Have you forgotten? They lost their hearing, and god knows if they could speak or see!" 'Fuyuhiko' shouted, but I decided to ignore it. So, we left the QCD...

...And moved to the Bio Lab. It was just outside of the QCD, and to describe it would take some time, but it's what you'd expect from a Bio Lab. Lot's of animal solutions, plenty of equipment to use, and even some reference sheets around. "Ah...!" 'Peko' yelped. I was starting to wonder what's wrong, before she went over to one of the solutions. It seemed to be one of a frog. "This creature...! We must free it!" 'Peko' shouted. "Uh..." I began to wonder what was happening, before Fuyuhiko made his move. "Peko, hate to break it to you, but I think the frog is already dead. I owe you a pet after this, though. Fuck..." Fuyuhiko said to Peko, and them making a promise.

"I-I see... I apologize for my unsightly behavior, young master." Peko said, as she started to calm down. "OK then. Well, we still have two more rooms to investigate either way. Let's go." I said, making my way out the door. "H-Hey! What do you mean 'two rooms'!? Look at the map!" Fuyuhiko shouted. "Maybe you'll figure it out soon, if you can." I sarcastically replied back. "You snarky little shit...!" Fuyuhiko shouted, before Peko followed me and only nodded. My guess is she figured it out too. But, regardless, the three of us left the Bio Lab...

...And entered the Pod Room. There wasn't much to say about it, we saw a family portrait hanging inside in this eerie room, but there was little to nothing. "I suppose that marks all of the _marked_ rooms." I said to myself, before heading out. "Marked rooms...?" Fuyuhiko asked, confused as ever. I decided now was a good time to tell him. "Alright. Look at the map, and find the contradiction. One room wasn't marked with a name." I said. "Then where the hell is it...? There wasn't any door that connected to it." Fuyuhiko pointed out. He was right, there wasn't anything marking it. It could mean...

"Well, it's not like we'll get anywhere standing around. Let's return to the lounge for now." Peko said. I decided myself that would be the best course of action, so I nodded in agreement. We all left the Pod Room, and returned to the lounge...

\-----------------------------------------------------

We spent some time exploring and talking, so I thought now would be a good time to check the time. 12:50. "40 minutes..." I muttered. 40 minutes until the vote deadline at 13:30. Fuyuhiko seemed to be passing the time by looking around the bar, while Peko watched over him by sitting by said bar. I didn't have much to do, so I sat next to Peko at the bar. It was pure silence, and I knew little about them or our situation. So...

"Where do you guys think we are right now?" I asked. "Who the hell knows... Only Zero." Fuyuhiko replied. "We can't be too far from Dcom, at least." Peko claimed. "Dcom...?" I asked. What is Dcom? "Oh, right, you're the mysterious kid that shows up. Dcom is 'Dwelling for the Cohabitation of Mars'." Fuyuhiko said, answering my question. "It's an experiment, of sorts. What kind of challenges would space explorers face while travelling and on mars? Scientists wanted to research that, so... They got nine people."

_"From this day forth, for a full week, you guys will be living in this station for a bit!"_

_"Even the kid in the wheelchair?"_

"Still, it doesn't seem like I can remember much... Ugh!" Fuyuhiko yelled to himself, angry at his lack of memory is what I could guess. "It isn't your fault, young master. Perhaps those memory-erasing drugs were already injected to us once prior, messing with our memories." Peko theorized. I could see that being likely. "Memories, huh..." I said to myself. I didn't have much happy memories, especially when it came to my family.

I decided to ask about... "Do you have any idea on who Zero could be?" I asked, seeing if there were any suspects for that. "No fuckin' clue, but whoever he is, he's gonna have to watch all angles for the rest of his god damn life... Assuming he lives for much longer after this." Fuyuhiko said, acting all high and mighty. "It is possible Zero could be that serial killer that was on the news recently." Peko theorized. "You mean Genocider Jack?" I asked. "No, I mean Shining Justice. Genocider was theorized to be a high-school girl, potentially with split personalities." Peko claimed. That seemed to make sense. "Shining Justice..." I thought. And then, I remembered.

"February 25th, around afternoon. A man named Gentarou Tannon, age 27, was found dead outside a park. The left eye was gouged out. Then, April 5th. Kanon Kuzu, a woman at age 25 was found dead just outside of her home. The left eye was gouged out, like Gentarou. They were planning on nicknaming this serial killer the Cyclops killer, before a third victim showed up with-" I was explaining, before being interrupted.

"H-Hold on! How the hell do you know all this!?" Fuyuhiko shouted, stopping me from recounting my memories. "Fuyuhiko is right. Some of the info you just revealed was classified to police files only." Peko said. That was an interesting tidbit of information... "And how exactly do you know what information is classified? Are you two officers?" I asked, as 'politely' I could. "Tch... Sorry, were not telling a kid jack. Either way, you're just a kid. You shouldn't know half of what you just said... Most of all the whole 'Cyclops Killer' thing." Fuyuhiko told. "..." I remained silent. How did I know all that? It didn't matter.

"Regardless. On the third death, the circumstances surrounding the left eye was the same... Along with a piece of paper crammed right into the eye socket. It took a little time to read out what it said, but... It told us that the first three murders were just the beginning. Shining Justice." I explained. "Sorry, I'm not a creepy-ass serial killer researcher... Why the fuck do they call themselves 'justice'!?" Fuyuhiko yelled out, creeped out by the tale. "My guess is it has to do with the fact that all 38 of their victims were escaped convicts, released criminals, or criminals proved to be planning a crime after they were murdered. Raw justice, you could say." Peko explained. That's what my memories also recall.

We remained in silence for a moment, before Fuyuhiko continued. "OK, so how the hell does that help us ascertain Zero's identity?" Fuyuhiko asked. "Thinking logically, a serial killer shouldn't be able to amass the resources needed for something like this... Hmm..." Peko said, continuing to think once more. I've decided we exhausted this topic.

"I don't know much about you two... I only vaguely got your names. And what's your relationship with each other?" I listed out a few of the things I wanted to ask about the two. "Fuyuhiko, Peko's sort of a friend of mine, you could say..." Fuyuhiko explained, as I finally confirmed his name. "Peko. As Fuyuhiko said, I am a friend of his." Peko explained herself. However, something was off. "You called Fuyuhiko 'young master', didn't you Peko?" I pointed out. "Shit." Fuyuhiko muttered. Peko remained silent. Guess they weren't intent on explaining... No point in pressuring them for information now, I guess.

It seems I've exhausted all possible topics, so to move on, I pressed the buttons on my bracelet. "13:20. Twenty minutes left, guys." I said. "Shit, not much time... We haven't even decided who to vote for..." Fuyuhiko said, starting to sweat.

\-----------------------------------------------------

\-----------------------------------------------------

"We've got ten minutes, so lets make this quick. Our options are as follows: We vote for K-Team, consisting of Komaru, Makoto, and Sayaka. Or, we vote for M-Team, which consists of Mahiru, Hajime, and Chiaki." I explained for our choices. "Tch, of course we had to vote against people we actually cared about. At any rate, thanks to our leader, all we gotta do is use force." Fuyuhiko said. However, despite his protests...

N decided to move forward in front of the Monitor, displaying two squares: [ K - TEAM ] and [ M - TEAM ].

"What...?" Fuyuhiko cried out. Peko remained silent in shock.

The decision made... Was...

\-----------------------------------------------------

**[ TIME TO DECIDE! ]**

**[ K - TEAM ] / [ M - TEAM ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The voting deadline has concluded, a decision has been made. Please await for the next part.


	6. Execution Vote : N - 2.1 (Vote: K-Team) / Execution Vote : M - 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> N-Team makes their vote, which was...

...The sound of a finger tapping a panel was silent, but had the aura of determination. A small _'beep'_ rang out of the panel, as Fuyuhiko could only stand still in surprise. "Voting K-Team... I see. We can only hope this doesn't have unintended consequences." Peko said, which was an interesting set of words to use. I decided to speak, to see what she meant by that. "Unintended consequences? You're implying there's a way to save everyone." I said, before Peko chose to continue. "There is. If every team receives one vote each... Then we can all survive." Peko grins, as she explains.

"I see... I hope our decision doesn't result in the deaths of three others." I say. "It will, if K-Team voted for us... And if that is the case, we can only hope M-Team doesn't pick us." Peko explains. As we finished speaking to each other, the speaker turns to static and shows our captor- Zero III.

"You've made a wise decision. Good work." Zero said, in a very monotone voice. "Bastard...!" Fuyuhiko exclaimed. "Since you did exactly what I asked, the memory-erasing drug will not be injected into you. It would be... Problematic if you forgot you caused the deaths of others. Regardless, it is time for you to sleep." Zero had finished, and Peko kept her calm, stoic stance. Fuyuhiko could only let out a 'tch' before the bracelet injected the sleeping drugs into our wrists. As I began to sleep, I could only think- When next we wake, would we be dead? Would someone else have died? Or will everyone live? I had no time to think , as our bodies hit the floor.

**_Thump, thump, thump, thump._ **

\-----------------------------------------------------

**[ Execution Vote: M ]**

[Side: Mahiru]

After being placed into this situation, Chiaki and Hajime just sort of... Nodded at each other. "Seems like there's nothing else to do other than look around." Hajime explained. "Yeah... That's probably the best idea right now." I said, myself. It's a little surprising how calm they are. Yet, despite that, we had to go explore now.

Exiting the lounge and heading north according to the map, we entered what was called the Prep Room. It served as a connecting point between the Decontamination Room and the Lounge. Inside the Prep Room was a few lockers with bio hazardous suits, which I assumed was meant for the Decontamination Room (which is probably why this room is called the Prep Room). Speaking of the Decontamination Room, it was fairly empty save for a few overhead showers and a door with a yellow button. We didn't think much of it before Hajime spoke briefly. "This place... Gives off an unsettling feeling." He said. "What kind of feeling?" Chiaki asked, as Hajime paused before giving his answer.

"Like... Something really bad could happen. In this room." Hajime continued, and I shuddered a little bit at the implication. Yet, despite that... "Are... You some sort of clairvoyant?" I asked, jokingly, of course... "Am I?" Hajime replied. I was speechless at his response. Was he going along with the joke, or was he being serious? I couldn't actually tell, so I decided to just leave it be.

As we finished up exploring the lounge, we checked our Ward's map once more and decided to head to the Locker Room. As we entered there was not much in there. There was a shower, some lockers, more showers, and a sink. That's just about it of what's in here. "You think there's some sort of pool around here?" Hajime asked. I decided to reply with my own sarcastic comment. "No, but at least you'll be able to maintain your hygiene." I thought that was a good line. But it seems like Hajime doesn't slack off on retaliating, replying with "Either you as well, or we don't trust the water our captor is giving us." Hajime states. He had a good point on the latter line.

"We still have places to explore, so can you two save your bickering?" Chiaki said, pouting. She had a point, maybe I'm just starting up needless drama... Regardless. "Where to, then?" Hajime asked. I took a quick look at the map, and decided that... "Let's head to the Trash Disposal room." I stated, and neither of the two had any objections. So, that's what we did as we went down the hallway. The trash disposal room seemed to be divided up into two sections; Control, and the Incinerator.

"An incinerator... I was going to make a hair joke, but I decided I shouldn't." As Hajime said that, it didn't take me long to figure out what he meant. I only replied to that, with "Rude." I said. "From what we've seen so far, this place has had quite a lot of what you'd need to survive in a shelter..." Chiaki stated. "With the Prep Room, and a Decontamination Room, you think this is some Nuclear Bomb Shelter?" Hajime asked. I had to admit, he has a point. Regardless, we move on from the Trash Disposal room since there wasn't much to do here.

There were three more areas to explore, and the first of them was the Manufacturing room. As we began to look around, I noticed Hajime having a slightly glum face. I didn't bother with it, but there wasn't much to see other than the many robots. "You think Zero manufactured these robots?" Chiaki asked. "It's likely." I replied back. It was a fairly empty room, so we decided to just move on.

The second-to-last room was the Healing Room. It certainly did look a little relaxing, as a pure white room. "A healing room... Not for treating physical wounds, but treating mental wounds." Hajime explained. It was good to have confirmation. "Maybe I could use this place to sleep at sometime..." Chiaki said, as she yawned. "We can explore more in length, but there doesn't seem to be an exit or the like. All we have left is the... 'Transporter Room', whatever that could mean." I said, looking at our map.

We left the Healing Room, and made our way over to what I did not expect in the least- A wide-open room, with what looks like a large machine at the center of it. "Is that... The transporter Zero mentioned?" Hajime asked. "There's nothing else it could be... But the question is, what does it do?" Chiaki explained, and asked another question. "Maybe it, like, transports things? Donno how, but..." I said, before realizing there wasn't much else we could talk about here other than the grandiose scale of this room compared to the others, along with how eerie it was.

\-----------------------------------------------------

We all agreed there wasn't much else to explore, and returned to the lounge. Chiaki sat down, thinking to herself. _She always plays with her Gamegirl... I guess it makes sense she's bored, even in this death game._ I thought to myself. I decided to sit down next to her, try to talk to her. "Hey, Chiaki. Are you alright?" I asked, gently. "Yeah... I'm just worried for the others." Chiaki replied, which I can't say I was surprised by that statement. She's always talking about helping others. "I'm sure the others are fine right now..." Hajime said.

When I thought about it, I didn't know too much about Chiaki and Hajime. So maybe now would be a good time to ask questions, as we wait for time to run out.

I decided to ask them about their relation with each other. "So... How are you two connected?" I asked, since they came here together. "We're part of a small group, trying to... Well, I think we should focus on escaping before I say more." Chiaki said. It got me curious, but she was right- If I had more thoughts on my mind, I could mentally break after having the threat of death looming over me. "Sorry, but I'm gonna have to stick with Chiaki on this one." Hajime said, following up Chiaki's statement.

"You know, somethings been bugging me, Hajime. Ever since we came to Dcom, you've been... Sort of cryptic on what you knew. Once, you even said the world was going to end in a few short days- Are you trying to scare us?" I asked, I needed to know. "I _did_ say I could be some sort of clairvoyant... But whether or not you believe me is up to you." Hajime said, not answering my question. I guess I won't get anywhere with this line of questioning.

I decided to ask them if they had any idea on who Zero is. "Zero... One thing is for sure, he knows about the Nonary games. Whoever he is, he's the real deal." Hajime explained. "Nonary games...? What are you talking about?" I asked. That was a strange name for a game. "A death game, nine people would have to escape by going through a door numbered nine..." Hajime said, but didn't say more after that. "Don't bother him about it, please. It... Doesn't bring back good memories." Chiaki said, and I decided to let the issue go.

\-----------------------------------------------------

\-----------------------------------------------------

I tapped the buttons on my bracelet. 13:20, 10 minutes left. "Now would... Probably be a good time to make our vote." I said, making my way over to the voting panel. "Who do you think the other teams voted for?" Hajime asked, and I couldn't reply with an answer. "It's possible N-Team voted for K-Team, but... I wonder..." Chiaki said, muttering to herself. "It's gonna be luck, huh? Hoping we weren't voted for..." Hajime said.

Our logic has lead us to believe that I should make a choice. "Mahiru, you have to make the decision... Good luck." Chiaki said, giving a light-hearted smile... With the crushing feeling of despair within me.

\-----------------------------------------------------

_"Father! Father! Look at this photo I took!" I exclaimed, happily presenting the photo I took of our backyard. "Yes, I'm sorry... No. No, not at all, I swear." My father said, still on the phone. "Father...?" I said, hoping he'd respond. But he ignored me, like all the men I knew before and after did. "Apologies, can I have a second? Of course." My father then said, before putting the phone on the table. "I'm sorry, Mahi-dear, but your daddy is a very busy man. Head inside, OK?" My father said, gripping my shoulders and gesturing me to our house. "OK, father..." I said, looking down and heading inside._

\-----------------------------------------------------

Why was my past coming up _now_...? I didn't know, but I couldn't dwell on the past... I have to be stronger for myself. Stronger for everyone...!

**[ TIME TO DECIDE! ]**

**[ VOTE K-TEAM / VOTE N-TEAM ]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Voting Deadline: Thursday, March 5th
> 
> Planned Content: Conclusion to Execution Vote, Execution, pre-escape fragment.


End file.
